Linear basaloid follicular hamartoma on the Blaschko's line of the face

[Histopathological study of basaloid follicular hamartoma]

INTRODUCTION

Basaloid follicular hamartoma (BFH) is a rare tumor first described in 1985. It bears clinical and histologic similarities with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), in particular the so-called infundibulocystic form. We performed a single-center clinicopathological study of a series of typical cases of this entity that is occasionally difficult to diagnose.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All cases of BFH seen at the Dermatopathology Laboratory of Strasbourg University Hospital were included and analyzed by means of HE staining and Ber-EP4 and PHLDA1 immunolabelling. Diagnosis was made in the event of basaloid proliferation with anastomosing cords developed from a hair follicle. Clinical data were collected from clinical files.

RESULTS

We identified 15 cases in 13 patients of mean age 44.8 years (range: 4 to 90) and the sex-ratio was 5/8. Lesions consisted of flesh-colored papules measuring 0.3 to 1.2cm in diameter, without any preferential site. Three patients had multiple lesions consisting of several coalescent papules on a breast for one, sparse papules on the back for another, and hundreds of linear unilateral BFHs, associated with osseous abnormalities, characteristic of Happle-Tinschert syndrome, for the third. All tumors were limited to the superficial and mid dermis, with a vertical orientation and connection to the epidermis in 14 of the 15 patients. In some cases, the outermost cells were basophilic while the central cells were eosinophilic. Peripheral palisading and clefting were frequently observed. Keratin cysts or sebaceous ducts were consistently present, indicating follicular differentiation. Ber-EP4+ cells were restricted to the periphery of the cords and PHLDA1 was weakly expressed.

DISCUSSION

BFH is a rare entity that must be differentiated from BCC. It presents as solitary or multiple lesions, either grouped in plaques or with a generalized or linear unilateral distribution. Generalized BFH may be associated with autoimmune diseases and linear unilateral BFH with osseous, dental and cerebral abnormalities in Happle-Tinschert syndrome. It is important to distinguish BFH from BCC to avoid inappropriate aggressive treatment.

Linear Unilateral Basaloid Follicular Hamartoma Following Blaschko's Lines: Two Case Reports and Review of the Literature

Basaloid follicular hamartoma (BFH) is a rare follicular malformation characterized by variable clinical presentations and identical histopathologic features. We present the cases of a 3-month-old boy and an 8-year-old boy with linear unilateral BFH. To the best of our knowledge, only 14 cases of linear unilateral BFH have been described in the English-language literature.

[Leucoderma in children: Review of the literature]

BACKGROUND

Leucoderma is a frequent presenting complaint in children and it is sometimes difficult to make a definite diagnostic during the first consultation. The aim of this study is to analyse the diagnoses associated with leucoderma in children in order to propose a practical approach to their differential diagnosis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We performed a review of the literature using the keywords "leucoderma children review", "leucoderma Ito" and "nevus depigmentosus" in the Medline database. All relevant articles were included.

RESULTS

Four hundred and thirty-five articles were retrieved and 179 were analysed. A clinical approach was proposed in 6 articles and investigations in 15 articles.

DISCUSSION

Causal diagnosis of leucoderma may frequently be made on clinical grounds by determining the age of onset and distribution of lesions. Nevertheless, some situations require investigation. The literature is limited regarding clinical approaches and examinations in leucoderma. Herein, we present a systematic clinical and laboratory approach to the differential diagnosis of these skin disorders.

Congenital systematized basaloid follicular hamartoma with microphthalmia and hemimegalencephaly

The lines of Blaschko are a cutaneous pattern of mosaicism present in a variety of skin disorders. Developmental abnormalities affecting other tissues derived from the embryonic ectoderm and mesoderm are sometimes associated. Here, we describe a 5-year-old boy with basaloid follicular hamartoma affecting the left side of the body in linear multiple bands, following Blaschko lines. Lesions were predominantly hypopigmented macules and streaks, but among these, we could observe brownish atrophic patches and brown papules. Furthermore, ipsilateral hemimegaloencephaly and microphthalmia were present. These findings suggest a neurocutaneous condition recently described by Happle and Tinschert. Its nosologic classification will be discussed.